Consumption register for meters



1948- F. s. BEACH ET AL 2,443,411

CONSUMPTION REGISTER FOR METERS Filed Feb. 26, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 8 26' 24 27 Inventor FKED S. Bianca Ens: E. EEFHIH B] 2mm 1948. F. s. BEACH ET AL CONSUMPTION REGISTER FOR METERS Filed Feb. 26, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lulu/i0) E IKED S. EEFHZH liuss E. Beam-1 24% Patented Aug. 31, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFHIE CON SUMITION REGISTER FOR METERS Fred S. Beach and Rose B. Beach, Charlotte, Mich.

Application February 26, 1946, Serial No. 650,332

4 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a consumption register for meters, and has particular reference to an improvement upon the type of device disclosed in our U. S. application, Serial No. 534,323, filed May 5, 1944, and allowed July 30, 1934, now Patent No. 2,394,972, issued February 19, 1946.

The primary object of the present invention is to generally simplify and improve the type of register disclosed in our above-named allowed application.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a register of the above kind in which the helical measuring strip is rotated for feed-ing the same outwardly through a helical marginal passage provided in a stationary feeding disc.

Another object of the invention is to provide a register of the above kind including a casing which is divided transversely by the stationary feeding disc into a relatively deep rear storage chamber and a relatively shallow front receiving chamber for the helical measuring strip, and wherein a segmental strip-tearing plate is secured to the front face of the feeding disc to facilitate ready and accurate tearing of the outwardly fed portions of the measuring strip from the remainder of the latter.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a register of the above kind wherein the casing has a front cover constructed to provide a calculator by means of which may be readily determined the cost of the quantity of a commodity shown to be consumed by the portions of the measuring strip fed outwardly of the feeding disc.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a consumption register constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a substantially central vertical longitudinal section thereof applied to an electric meter.

Figure 3 is a vertical transverse section taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2, with the electric meter omitted.

Figure 4 is a vertical transverse section taken on line 44 of Figure 2,

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken on line 5-5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken on line 6-6 of Figure 4.

Figure 7 is an enlarged detail view partly in elevation and partly in section, more clearly illustrating the means for connecting the shaft of the strip carrier with the unit hand of the meter.

Figure 8 is a perspective view of the strip-tearing plate.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the invention has been shown as applied to a conventional electric meter 5 having a metering mechanism 6 covered by a transparent bowl I and including a unit hand 8 carried by the forward end of the shaft 9 and movable over a suitable dial as is well known in the art.

In accordance with the present invention, a housing I l is attached to or formed integral with the front of the bowl I, and a horizontal shaft I2 is disposed centrally of the housing H and projects rearwardly through the front wall of bowl 1 in line with the shaft 9 of the unit hand 8 0f the meter. The rear end of shaft l2 has a sleeve 13 secured thereon and projecting rearwardly therefrom, and the projecting rear end of this sleeve is provided with an opening [4 (Fig. 7) which receives the hand 8 so as to provide a driving connection between the shaft 9 and the shaft l2. The shaft I2 is journalled in a bearing [5 fitted and secured in an opening provided in the rear wall of the casing II, and the forward end of the shaft i2 is received in a bearing recess I! provided centrally of and in the rear face of a strip feeding disc :8 that is secured within and remains stationary with the casing II.

The strip feeding disc l8 constitutes a transverse partition which divides the casing ll into a relatively deep rear storage compartment I9 and a relatively shallow front receiving compartment 20 for a helical measuring strip 2|. A carrier for the strip 2| is carried by and rotatable with the shaft I2 within the compartment l9, such carrier including a supporting disc 22 centrally fixed on shaft l2 and provided with a plurality of uniformly spaced supporting pins 23 which are rigidly attached to and project forwardly from the margin of disc 22. The forward ends of the supporting pins 23 ride in an annular groove 24 provided in the rear face of the strip feeding disc l8, So as to support the forward ends of said pins 23 and permit free rotation of the carrier relative to the disc I8. The compacted helical measuring strip 2| is adapted to be supported in the housing I I behind the disc la in spaced concentric relation to and surrounding the shaft I2. For this purpose, the supporting pins 23 are received in registering openings provided at 25 through the convolutions of the strip 2|. The strip feeding disc l8 is provided with a helical marginal passage 26 that substantially conforms to but is slightly larger than the strip 2! as to width and thickness of the latter. This passage 26 extends through a segment of the disc I8 and respectively opens at opposite ends through opposite faces of the disc l8 for the outward passage of strip 2| therethrough as the strip carrier is rotated. In practice, several of the foremost convolutions of strip 2i are expanded as shown in Figure 2, and the free forward end of the strip is inserted into passage 26 so that the strip will be fed forwardly of disc it! upon rotation of the strip with its carrier. In order to facilitate insertion of the free end of strip 22 into the inlet end of passage 2ii, a guide strip 27 (Fig. 6) may be attached to the rear face of disc l8 so as to project at the inlet or entrance end of said passage, the free end of guide strip 21 being deflected rearwardly from the rear surface of disc I8. As usual, the forward faces of the convolutions of strip 2! are provided with graduations 28 and numerals 29 which indicate the unit of measurement of the meter with which the registering mechanism is employed.

Secured to the front face of strip feeding disc i8 is a segmental plate 383 having a radial edge 3! located slightly beyond the outlet or exit end of passage 26 and providing an edge against which the forwardly fed portions of strip 2! may be readily torn so that the forwardly fed or projected lengths or portions of the strip may be used to determine the amount and cost of a commodity consumed or dispensed to the customer. The edge portion at 3! of plate 30 is slightly spaced from the forward face of disc I9 to permit free feeding of the strip forwardly from the passage 25, the remainder of plate 30 being in flat contact with the front face of disc l8. Thus, as the strip 2i is fed forwardly of disc I8, it ultimately rides over and in front of the plate 30 as indicated in Figure 3.

The casing H is provided with an openable closure 32 which may be hinged at 33 and suitably locked in closed position so as to prevent access to the forwardly fed portions of strip 2| within the compartment 20, by unauthorized persons. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the closure or cover 32 of casing I! is preferably constructed to provide a calculator with which the forwardly fed portions of strip 2! may be employed to facilitate determination of the quantity and cost of a commodity supplied or consumed, as indicated by the portion of the measuring strip which is fed forwardly of disc l8 and torn off along the edge 3! of plate 30. For this purpose, the closure 32 is provided with a raised marginal portion 34 provided with a dial 35 graduated to indicate the quantity of the commodity supplied or consumed. The graduations of the dial 35 commence at a zero line 36, and projecting forwardly from the closure 32 on this line and at the inner edge of the raised marginal portion 34 is a stop pin 31. The closure 32 is also provided with a central circular raised portion 38, and the space between the peripheral edge of the raised portion 38 and the inner edge of the marginal raised portion 34 is of a width substantially equal to the width of the measuring strip 2i. Thus, a portion of strip 2i which has been torn from the rest thereof may be disposed upon the closure 32 between the raised portions 34 and 33 and with its end showing the lowest quantity indicating graduation disposed against the stop pin 31'. The other end of the strip portion will coincide with the numeral of dial 35 that indicates the quantity of the commodity supplied or consumed, and by referring to a suitable chart, the cost of this quantity of this commodity can be readily determined. The severed portion of the measuring strip is then mailed with a remittance to cover the cost to the utility company. It will be readily seen that the amount of the strip 22 which is fed forwardly of the disc i3 will accurately indicate the quantity of commodity consumed because the strip is rotated by direct operative connection with the unit hand of the meter, the strip 2| being accurately calibrated in accordance with the meter with which the register is associated.

From the foregoing description, it is believed that the construction, operation and advantages of the present invention will be readily understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art. The invention is susceptible of modification and changes in details of construction, such as fairly fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What we claim is:

1. A consumption register of the class described comprising a casing having an openable front cover, a relatively thick stationary feeding disc for a helical measuring strip secured in and dividing the casing into a relatively deep rear measuring strip storage compartment and a relatively shallow forward measuring strip receiving compartment, said strip feeding disc having a helical marginal strip passage through a portion thereof and opening through opposite faces of the same, a rotary carrier for a helical measuring strip journalled in the rear compartment axially of the casing and including a central driven shaft, and means to couple said driven shaft to the unit hand of an automatic registering meter.

2. A consumption register of the class described comprising a casing having an openable front cover a relatively thick stationary feeding disc for a helical measuring strip secured in and dividing the casing into a relatively deep rear measuring strip storage compartment and a relatively shallow forward measuring strip receiving compartment, said strip feeding disc having a helical marginal strip passage through a portion thereof and opening through opposite faces of the same, a rotary carrier for a helical measuring strip journalled in the rear compartment axially of the casing and including a central driven shaft, and means to couple said driven shaft to the unit hand of an automatic registering meter, and a segmental tearing plate secured on the front face of the strip feeding disc and having a radial edge located slightly beyond the exit of said passage to provide an edge against which the forwardly issued portion of the measuring strip may be torn from the rest of said measuring strip.

3. The construction defined in claim 1, wherein said strip feeding disc is provided with a central bearing recess and an annular groove in the rear face thereof concentric with said bearing,

recess, the forward end of said driven shaft being rotatably received in the bearing recess, and said measuring strip carrier comprising a plurality of forwardly projecting equally spaced supporting pins grouped about the driven shaft and having their forward ends received and movable in said annular groove, said supporting pins being receivable in registered openings provided in the convolution-s of the helical measuring strip.

4. In combination with the casing of a consumption register, an openable and lockable front cover for said casing, said cover being provided with a central raised circular portion and an annular marginal raised portion on the front face thereof affording a recess therein substantially corresponding to the width of a measuring strip, said marginal raised portion being provided with a dial graduated in accordance with the unit measurement of a meter, and a forwardly projecting stop pin carried by the closure inwardly of the raised marginal portion and coincident with the zero graduation of said dial for engagement by and end of a severed portion of the measuring strip so that the dial may be 5 FRED S. BEACH. ROSE B. BEACH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the 10 file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,394,972 Beach et a1 Feb. 19, 1946 2,398,352 Beach et a1 Apr. 16, 1946 

